What’s New: In brief (February 27, 2006)

The Co-operators, have provided financial support to the Infant and Toddler Safety Association’s (ITSA) volunteer telephone hotline so that the Kitchener, ON-based, volunteer-run charity can, starting this month, offer expert child safety advice through their toll-free service. The Co-operators financial support to ITSA this year will total approximately $25,000, including the cost of the new toll-free telephone line. The new toll-free number is 1-888-570-0181. ITSA’s partnership with The Co-operators began in 1999 with the development of the Buckle Up Bears car seat program. At free car seat clinics in communities across Canada, trained inspectors install child car seats and booster seats and help educate drivers on their proper use. Together, The Co-operators and ITSA produce educational material, including “Boost Me Up!” a DVD for children and educational guide for caregivers, as well as posters and bookmarks designed to encourage and remind children to always use their booster seat.

Risk Management Solutions (RMS), provider of products and services for the management of natural hazard risk, has released version 5.0 of its Climetrix weather derivatives trading and risk management system. The upgrade includes a number of new features designed to enhance the user experience in work flow, process, and reporting capabilities. Climetrix 5.0 introduces a capability that allows users to schedule automatic analyses and have the results delivered to them via e-mail or sent to a client-specified FTP address. Additionally, it includes an option that enables users to price ‘covered call’ or ‘covered put’ contracts as single structures and generate a new report that shows the source of any changes in portfolio valuation from one analysis to another. Among other features, Climetrix 5.0 allows users to generate premium and settlement invoices for all relevant counterparties and contracts in any portfolio with the single click of a button. More information about Climetrix can be accessed at: http://www.climetrix.com.

The Honourable Order of the Blue Goose is getting organized for its 2008 Grand Nest Convention, and is in search of members to volunteer to help for all of their committee’s. The committee’s need volunteer’s to assist in: Marketing, Ways & Means, Corporate Sponsorship, Children’s Program, Transportation, Hotel Liaison , Golf and more. The organization will be holding a meeting at the Hughes Amy’s office on March 20th at 5:30 pm (48 Yonge Street, Suite 200 Toronto).